Albert m



March W32. E. ilk-IURCH BOTTLE CAPPING Original Filed Feb. 2, 1929Patented Mar. 8, 1.932 I PATENT OFFICE E UND s. CHURCH, or

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ALBERT M. CHURCH, ADMINISTRATOR OI SAID EDMUND CHURCH,DECEASED BOTTLE CAIPING jA pplication filed February 2, 1929, Serial No.336,935. Renewed November 9, 1931,

The present invention pertains to the art of applying caps to bottlesand has more particular reference to the application of that type ofbottle cap which is formed of sheet metal and comprises a circular top,an integral continuous flange depending from the top and having formedtherein an annular series of corrugations or indentations which areadapted to be pressed into a groove in the neck of the bottle, and atongue which is connected to a portion ofthe flange and is adapted to beswung outwardly away from the bottle to flex the contiguous portion ofthe flange outwardly when the cap is to be removed from the bottle.

One object of the invention is to provide a device for applying caps ofthe aforementioned characteryin whichprovision is made forcompressingthe corrugations at the sides ofthe tongue less than others to renderthem more readily expansible when the tongue is used to flex or spreadoutwardly the flange during removal of the cap from the bottle.

Another object'of the invention is to provide a device which isespecially adapted for use in applying to bottles, caps of the characterdisclosed'in an application for Letters Patent of the United States forimprovements in"bottle caps, filed by me March 5, 1927 '3 A. D., SerialNo.172,956.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved bottlecapping method.

7 Other objects and the various advantages and characteristics of thepresent invention will be apparent from a consideration of the followingdetailed description.

7 The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by the claims at the conclusionhereof.

p In the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification ordisclosure and in which like numerals of reference de- -notecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1- is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved cappingdevice, showing the same in the position it normally occupies at thebeginning of the-cap applying operation;

Figure 2 is a similar sectional view, illustrating the device at theconclusion of the capping operation;

- Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,exhibiting indetail Co the notches or slots in the inner wall of thecapper, which operates to compress or densify the corrugations above andadjacent the sidesof the tongue less than the other corrugations; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a cap of the type for which theimproved capping device is primarily adapted.

The invention involves a method and device for applying to a bottle 16having an annular groove 16 in the neck thereof, a cap of-the typedisclosed in the aforesaid patent application; This cap is fashionedfrom a one-piece sheet metal blank and comprises a circular top 10, adepending flared skirt or flange 11 and a tongue 12 at one side of theflange. An annular series of corrugations 13 is formed in the flange 11and consists of alternating outer crowns 14 and inner crowns 15. Thelatter crowns are pressed as hereafter described into the groove 16 tolock the cap to the bottle. The majority of the crowns 14 and 15 extendfrom the central portion ofthe flange to the outer edge. The tongue 12which is positioned adjacent a portion 18 of the flange is stiflened bymeans of longitudinally extending ribs 17. These ribs are shaped to formcontinuations of the crowns 14 of said portion 18 and coact therewith torender the tongue and said portion rigid or non-flexible. Thus when thetongue is swungaway from the bottle, the portion 18 together with thecorrugations thereof is also swung outwardly and the crowns 15 aredisengaged with respect to the groove 16 to permit removal of the cap.The crowns 15 of said portion 18 extend to the marginal or edge part ofthe top 10 so that the portion itself will not bend or flex when it isswung outwardly by the tongue. The two crowns 14 at each side of saidtongue 12 extend also to the top 10 so that they are capable of ready orfacile expansion. A disc 19 of cork or similar sealing material issecured or pressed against the inner face of the top 10 to form an airtight seal'for the bottle 16 and to prevent thecontents of the bottlefrom contacting with the metal of the cap. The

FLU

portion 18 and the extended crowns 14 at the sides thereof arepreferably of a combined breadth; or circumferential length equal'toapproximately one quarter ofthe 'circumference of the flange. y Thedevicefor applying the cap to the bottle'16 comprises a die member" 20"which has a substantially cylindricalbore-20 extend ing longitudinallytherethrough; a retaining head 21 in which the die member is fixedlyheld; and aplunger 22', which is, slidably mounted in the lower end ofthe bore 20 and is adap'tedto-engsage the top 10 of the cap andforcetthe cork disc 19 intofirm contact with the mouth of the bottleduring; the capping. operation: The plunger is provided withantupstanding stem 23. This stem carries at the distal end thereof a nut24 which abuts againsttheupperendof the die memberl'20 and-v serves tolimit the downward movement of the plunger. A spiral spring. 25 extendsbetween the plunger 22 anda,

shoulder 20 on 'the'dieemember and operates tohold yieldingly andforcibly the plunger in its lowermost position. The extreme low erend-of the bore 20 is adapted to'receive and forceinwardly thecorrugations of the flange 11. :Itis flared as at 20 and embodies asufficient number of longitudinal open sidedvertically elongated.notches or slots20 V to accommodate and receive individually thecrowns-14- of the flangeportion 18 and the extended crowns at the sidesof saidportion so that during the capping operationthese, crowns are notcompressed, or, densified as much'as'theothers. The slots 20 arepreferably of rectangular cross section and extend from the'bottom faceof the die member 20 to the juncture of the cylindrical and flaredportions ofthe bore 20 The device operates to produce the desired.

cappingv of the bottle," in response to shift movement imparted: eitherto the bottle or the retainingv head 21. This relative shift movementmaybe effected by any suitable-mechanism or in any manner wellunderstood in the art. Atthe beginning of the capping operation the capis positioned so that the top 10 is directly over the mouth ofthe'bottle and the extended crowns 14 of the flang'e' 11 are alignedrespectively with the slots 20 'in the die-member. The bottle'and deviceare then vshifted together, during which movement the plunger isarrested by the top 10-and operates to force the cork disc 19" into firmengagement with the mouth of the bottle as'a result'of the action of thespring25 (see Figure 1'). Upon further relative movement of thebottle'and capping devioe'the lbwer'en d ofthe diemember 20 tele- Vs'c'opes aroundthe' e'dgeiof' the-flange 11 and due to-the frustoconicalior' flared conformation of the bore 20 presses the inner crownsinto the groove 16 so that the cap is secured in place by substantiallyall of the corrugations. Since the crowns 14 of the por tion 18 and theextended crowns at the sides of the tongue 12 fit within the slots. 20.during the capping movement. (F ig1ire-3) the corrugations adjacent saidtongue are not crushed together-similarly: to the other corrugations.result of-thisarrangementremovalbf thecap by use of the tongue 12 isfacilitated, for the reason that the metal adacent the tongue isreadilyexpansible and spreadsfreely during. dislodgement of the crowns15 of the flange-portion 18 from the groove 16Anadditionalacharacteristic or resultingof: utilizingthe: slots 209*isthat :the: crowns: 14-on the portion 18 are not distorted. ordeflected,- and consequently. the connection: portion and the tongue. 12isnot:

The tongue-during the capping. is forced inwardly; alongside; the

between said weakened. operation,

bottleneck Upon shift from each completed and the bottle stands properlycapped; By providing. only enough:slots 2O by the flared partvofithebore-:-2'0-*. ofthe bottle and device away other the cappingvoperation is:

for the extended: ()I'OWDSllE; three quarters of the corrugationsol i?are under. maximum compression. Since tlllS'QIHOllIlUlSfIIIEHGDlfiL lygreater thanxonehalf of? the. total circumference, the-oap'issecurelyheld in. place.

The invention, is not to:be: understood as:

restricted to the details set forth since: these may beinodified withinthe seopeoffthe ap pended claims, without; departing; from the:

spiritand scope of'the invention. 7

Having'thus described the'-invent-ion-,,what= I claim as new and desire,to secure. Icy-L tters Patent; is: V r

1. A. device for to a: grooved bot-:-

tle a cap-embodying a dependiiig flange pro-- vided: with an. annularser iesaof' corruga tioiis, said device comprisingaj-diemember having asubstantially annular inner wall adaptedto fit around the-cap andoperable,

upon relative: movement of the bottle and' de-' vice, to press thecorrugations into thegnoovef for locking purposes, saidi Walh having:portions thereof shaped to receive-some of the:

outer crowns of the corrugations so asto'p're vent them from beingcompressed as; much as the others during'the pressing" operation.

' 2. A device'forapplyingtoa girooVed-b0t tle a cap embodyinga'd'ependingflange'prm vided with an annular series of corruga tions,said device. comprising, die ineniber having. a subst'ai tiallyannularinner wall adapted to fit around the; cap and operable,

upon relative movement oftlie hottle and device, to press thecorrugations into the-groove for locking purposes, said; wall'having,slots formed therein toreceive some of v the outer crowns of thecorrugations so as to prevent device to press them from being compressedas much as the others during the pressing operation.

3. A device for applying to a grooved bottie a cap embodying a dependingflange provided with an annular series of corrugations, said devicecomprising a die member having a substantially annular inner walladapted to fit around the cap and operable, upon relative movement ofthe bottle and device, to press the corrugations into the groove forlocking purposes, said wall having a flared mouth and embodyinglongitudinal slots to receive some of the outer crowns of thecorrugations so as to prevent them from being compressed as much as theothers during the pressing operation.

4. A device for applying to a grooved bottle a cap embodying a dependingflange provided with an annular series of corrugations, said devicecomprising a die member having a substantially annular inner walladapted to fit around the cap and operable, upon relative movement ofthe bottle and the corrugations into the groove for locking purposes,said wall having portions thereof shaped to receive less than half ofthe outer crowns of the corrugations so as to prevent said crowns frombeing compressed as much as the others during the pressing operation.

5. A device for applying to a grooved bottle a cap embodying a dependingflange provided with an annular series of corrugations, said devicecomprising a die member having a substantially annular inner walladapted to fit around the cap and operable, upon relative movement ofthe bottle and device, to press the corrugations into the groove forlocking purposes, said wall having slotted portions formed therein toreceive approximately one quarter of the outer crowns of thecorrugations so as to prevent said crowns from being compressed as muchas the others during the pressing operation.

6. A device for applying to a grooved bottle a cap embodying a top and acorrugated flange, comprising a die member having spring means forengaging the top and a substantially annular inner wall around saidmeans and adapted to fit around the cap and operable, upon relativemovement of the bottle and device, to press the corrugations into thegroove for locking purposes, said wall having portions thereof shaped toreceive some of the outer crowns of the corrugations so as to preventthem from being compressed as much as the others during the pressingoperation.

7. A device for applying to a bottle having a groove in the neckthereof, a cap comprising a continuous corrugated flange and a dependingtongue, said device comprising a die member having an annular inner walladapted to fit around the cap and operable, upon relative movement ofthe bottle and device, to press the corrugations into the groove, saidwall having portions thereof shaped to receive the outer crowns of thecorrugations adjacent the sides of the tongue so as to prevent them frombeing compressed as much as others during the pressing operation.

8. A device for applying to a bottle having a groove in the neckthereof, a cap comprising a continuous corrugated flange and a tonguedepending from one side of the flange and provided with ribs alignedwith the outer crowns of the corrugations in the contiguous part of theflange, said device comprising a die member having an annular inner Walladapted to fit around the cap and operable, upon relative movement ofthe bottle and device, to press the corrugations into the groove, saidwall having slotted portions therein to receive the aforesaid alignedribs and outer crowns so as to prevent them from being bent relativelyto each other.

9. That improvement in applying a cap having an annular series ofcorrugations in a depending flange to a bottle having a groove in theneck thereof, which consists in first positioning the cap upon the mouthof the bottle and then pressing all of the corrugations into the groovein such a manner that some are under less compression than others.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 29th day of January, 1929.

EDMUND S. CHURCH.

